Tie-plate.



A. J. NEAFIE.

TIE PLATE.

APPLIOAIION FILED Mn 2, 1910."

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

4 Q M W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. NEAFIE, OF BOONTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE DELAWARE, LACKAWANNA & WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY, 'OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TIE-PLATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. NEAFIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boonton, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tie-Plates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tie plates of that class which are interposed between the base of the rail and the tie, stringer or other support for the rail, and assist in holding the rail in place on the tie.

The object of this invention is to construct a tie plate of this character of simple and economical construction, which can be readily rolled from a metal bar or blank, and which will serve to efiectually hold the rail from outward movement endwise of the tie and at the same time will permit the rail to be secured to the tie in such a manner that it can be readily and quickly released therefrom and a new rail substituted in its place whenever necessary.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of a rail and tie provided with a tie plate embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tie plate detached. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a tie plate of modified construction.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents a rail of usual construction, and B the tie or other support upon which the rail rests and to which it is secured. Between the rail and the tie, a tie plate C is interposed which is preferably of rectangular form and has fiat top and bottom faces which respectively engage the bottom of the rail and the top of the tie. The plate C extends beyond the side edges of the rail and is provided on its top face, at the outer side of the rail, with raised bearing portions D D preferably formed integrally therewith and having abrupt inner edges or shoulders (Z (Z against which the outer edge of the base of the rail abuts, the outer and side edges of these raised portions being referably beveled as shown. The raised earing portions D D are each provided with a suitable spike hole (Z and, in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with an inclined bearing face (Z which is straight and extends upwardly and outwardly from the q Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 2, 1910.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 558,951.

outer edge of the spike hole. The outer side of the rail is secured to the tie by means of screw spikes E E which extend through the holes cl d" into the tie and are provided with enlarged heads 6 e which on one side of the spikes overlap the outer edge of the rail base, and on the opposite side overlap the bearing faces d of the tie plate. The heads 6 e are preferably beveled or conical on their under sides so as to fit snugly against the upper side of the rail base and the bearing faces d of the tie plate, thereby increasing the bearing surface between the spike heads and the tie plate and the rail. The bearing faces (Z (Z of the plate support the heads of the screw spikes on the sides thereof opposite to the rail and prevent the spikes from tilting or tipping away from the rail when they are tightened firmly against the rail for holding it in place. On its inner side the rail is secured to the tie by the usual rail spikes F F which extend through suitable holes f f in the tie plate into the tie and the heads of which overlap the inner edge of the rail base in the usual manner. 7

While the spikes E and F, which secure the rail to the tie, serve also to secure the tie plate in position on the tie, the tie plate is further provided with additional securing means which are separate and independent of the means employed for securing the rail to the tie, and which, in the construction shown, consist of lag screws Gr Gr which extend into the tie through suitable holes 9 9 formed in the tie plate near the outer and inner ends thereof. By this means the tie plate can be firmly secured to the tie before the rail is placed thereon, and the ties can be equipped with tie plates before being laid, if desired. The lag screws or other additional securing means for the tie plate hold the plate from movement endwise of the tie and thus assist in preventing the rails from spreading on the ties.

On the inner side of the rail, the tie plate presents no shoulder or other obstacle to the movement of the rail inwardly endwise of the tie, that movement being prevented by the spikes F F, which are sufficient for this purpose as there is little strain upon the rails tending to shift them in this direction. Upon withdrawing the spikes F F, the rail can be moved inwardly on the tie plate out of engagement with the heads of the screw spikes E E, and then removed without disturbing either the tie plate or the screw spikes. A new rail can be secured in place by inserting the outer edge of its base under the heads of the screw spikes into contact with the shoulders (Z (Z of the tie plate and then driving the spikes F F back into place at the inner edge of the rail. It is thus possible to easily and quickly remove a rail and substitute another in its place. This results in a material saving in time and labor in general track repair work and is of especial importance when, as frequently happens, it is necessary to delay the traffic on the track until a broken or damaged rail is replaced or a section of the track renewed or repaired.

If desired, the screw spikes E E can be secured in place in the tie and tie plate before the tie is laid and the rail placed thereon. In doing this, the bearing faces (Z of the tie plate act as stops for the heads of the screw spikes and prevent the spikes from being screwed into the tie beyond the point where their heads stand in position for overlapping engagement with the outer edge of the rail base. The rails can then be secured to the ties after the latter are laid in the same manner as that described in the substitution of one rail for another.

The tie plate is of simple and light construction and the shape of the spaced bearing portions is such that the plate can be readily and economically rolled with these portions integral therewith.

The holes 9 g for the lag screws G G are formed in the plate outside of the holes for the rail-securing spikes so that the lag screws will not interfere with the securing of the spikes to the tie for holding the rail nor be disturbed or displaced thereby. The holes are preferably arranged midway of the ends of the plate, directly opposite to each other, one of the holes being in the body portion of the plate between the raised bearing portions thereof. They thus directly oppose any movement of the plate in either direction and prevent any twisting or turning thereof.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 4, the raised bearing portions of the plate are provided with curved bearing surfaces H which extend around the sides and outer part of the holes d for the screw spikes and form an extended hearing or seat for the conical under side of the heads of the screw spikes.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tie plate provided at one end with raised bearing portions which are separated by an intervening portion of the plate and which have abrupt inner edges forming shoulders for contact with the outer edge of the rail base, holes in said bearing portions for rail-securing screw spikes, and inclined bearing surfaces adjacent to said holes which are adapted to engage the under side of the heads of said screw spikes, said tie plate being provided at its opposite end with holes for rail-securing spikes and having at both ends holes for independent plate-securing means, substantially as set forth.

2. A tie plate provided at one end with raised bearing portions which are separated by an intervening portion of the plate and have beveled outer and side edges and'abrupt inner edges forming shoulders for contact with the outer edge of the rail base, holes in said bearing portions for rail-securing screw spikes, and inclined bearing surfaces adjacent to said holes which are adapted to engage the under side of the heads of said screw spikes, said tie plate being provided at its opposite end with holes for rail-securing spikes and having at both ends holes for independent platesecuring means, substantially as set forth.

3. A tie plate provided at one end with raised bearing portions which are spaced apart and have abrupt inner edges forming shoulders for contact with the outer edge of the rail base, holes in said bearing portions for rail-securing screw spikes, and inclined bearing surfaces adjacent to said holes which are adapted to engage the under side of the heads of said screw spikes, said tie plate being provided at its opposite end with holes for rail-securing spikes and having at both ends outside of the rail-securing spikes, holes for independent late-securing means, one of said holes being formed in the plate between said raised bearing portions, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand, this 25th day of April,

ANDREW J. NEAFIE. Witnesses ANDREW CLARK, ANTHONY H. VAN ORDEN. 

